The Aspergillus Website is dedicated to providing information on aspergillus, aspergillosis, aspergilloma and other health problems caused by aspergillus to the professional and layperson. This blog will be used to provide latest information, news, current events, announcements and links to useful information.

Wednesday, 12 September 2012

Astellas unveils a second generation echinocandin antifungal

At ICAAC in San Francisco, Dr Souichirou Akamatsu from
Astellas summarised the latest data on a second generation echinocandin called
ASP9726. The potency of ASP9726 was slightly more than that of first generation
echincandin antifungals micafungin and caspofungin in the lab, even when
combined with serum. Direct observation of how Aspergillus grows showed marked
prevention of filamentous growth compared with the first generation echinocandins.
In experimentally infected mice, guinea pigs and rabbits with invasive aspergillosis, ASP9726 greatly
improved survival. ASP9726 was also effective against
common Candida species and greatly
increased survival in a Candida glabrata
model, using an isolate resistant to caspofungin.

The echinocandins are now the leading IV antifungal class in critically
ill patients worldwide for treatment of both Candida and Aspergillus
infections. Worldwide sales exceed $1,300 million annually and given the only
modest efficacy for aspergillosis and resistance emergence in Candida - are
strong arguments for developing improved echinocandin compounds.
Of the echinocandin family, Astellas have discovered and developed micafungin, Merck markets caspofungin and Pfizer has acquired
anidulafungin which was originally developed by Lilly.